Counter-terrorism: Attempted Presidency, GHQ attacks foiled
At least three attackers, despite being identified, are still at large.
LAHORE:
Security agencies foiled an attempted spree of terrorist attacks in which militants had planned to carry out multiple suicide bombings against several key state institutions including the Presidency and the Army headquarters.
Intelligence officials were able to piece together the information about the attack after detaining a person suspected to be affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The man, who sources say belongs to Miramshah in North Waziristan, has told law enforcement agencies the identities of his two accomplices, but neither has yet been arrested.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the detainee disclosed that two men from Karachi, identified as Nauman and Zakar, completed terrorist training in South Waziristan and will be part of the attacks on the Presidency in Islamabad and the army’s General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, as well as other defence-related targets.
Meanwhile, intelligence agencies have compiled a report on the activities of another man – Abid, alias Kalia – who is currently active in southern Punjab in recruitment and preparations for a terrorist campaign in Lahore.
According to the report, Abid is in the midst of preparing an explosives-laden vehicle to be used in carrying out attacks in the provincial capital. His targets are likely to include the Police Training Centre, the Inter-Services Intelligence complex, as well as Army and Rangers installations in the city.
Yet, despite having what appears to be an extraordinary level of detail about the terrorist’s plans, intelligence and law enforcement agencies have thus far failed to arrest the man.
The National Crisis Management Cell at the federal interior ministry – the country’s central counter-terrorism coordination body – forwarded the reports of the two terror plots to the home departments of provinces, as well as their police chiefs and heads of the provincial intelligence services.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 7th, 2011.
Security agencies foiled an attempted spree of terrorist attacks in which militants had planned to carry out multiple suicide bombings against several key state institutions including the Presidency and the Army headquarters.
Intelligence officials were able to piece together the information about the attack after detaining a person suspected to be affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The man, who sources say belongs to Miramshah in North Waziristan, has told law enforcement agencies the identities of his two accomplices, but neither has yet been arrested.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the detainee disclosed that two men from Karachi, identified as Nauman and Zakar, completed terrorist training in South Waziristan and will be part of the attacks on the Presidency in Islamabad and the army’s General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, as well as other defence-related targets.
Meanwhile, intelligence agencies have compiled a report on the activities of another man – Abid, alias Kalia – who is currently active in southern Punjab in recruitment and preparations for a terrorist campaign in Lahore.
According to the report, Abid is in the midst of preparing an explosives-laden vehicle to be used in carrying out attacks in the provincial capital. His targets are likely to include the Police Training Centre, the Inter-Services Intelligence complex, as well as Army and Rangers installations in the city.
Yet, despite having what appears to be an extraordinary level of detail about the terrorist’s plans, intelligence and law enforcement agencies have thus far failed to arrest the man.
The National Crisis Management Cell at the federal interior ministry – the country’s central counter-terrorism coordination body – forwarded the reports of the two terror plots to the home departments of provinces, as well as their police chiefs and heads of the provincial intelligence services.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 7th, 2011.